Myagkaya A. The development of democratic tendencies in Zaporozhian Cossack Host and Hetmanshina (a second half of the ХVII - the beginning of the XVIII centuries)

In the thesis on basis of little known and published sources and analysis of ancient and modern literature the process of forming and development of democratic tendencies in Zaporozhian Cossack Host and Hetmanshina has been fully investigated. So having analysed the progress of different periods' historiography, the author has drew a conclusion, that scientists didn't attend properly just democratic tendencies in Ukrainian society of Hetmanshina's epoch. The fact, that Zaporozhian society is unanimously recognized as democratic has been picked out. But the author notes, that in the period of Hetmanshina there was clear tendency of Cossack liberties' limitation. The reasons of this phenomenon were the pressure of Muscovy and attempts of the new Cossack elite to liquidate the remains of democracy. The democratic elements, existed in Zaporozhian Cossack Host and Hetmanshina, have been examined. But at times so-called democratism was very illusive. The measures of impact of the steppe people, Don Cossacksand Christian neighbours on democratic tendencies' development in Zaporozhian Cossack Host and Hetmanshina have been cleared up. The author has analysed the democratic traditions in Hetmanshina's time and has attempted to elucidate the policy of some hetmans and their impact on the democratic tendencies' development.